Manufacture A. Lange & Söhne was established in Glashütte, Saxony, by Ferdinand A. Lange in 1845. For the next hundred years, A. Lange & Söhne pocket watches were among the most sought-after timepieces in the world, until the Second World War forced the company into a 40-year hiatus. In 1990, following German reunification, Walter Lange, great-grandson of Ferdinand Adolph Lange, revived the brand which in 2000 became part of the Richemont Group.Now employing close to 500 people, half of whom are watchmakers, the company produces timepieces whose quality...
Some forty companies geared towards excellence are actively committed to the culture and heritage of watchmaking. In becoming a partner brand of the foundation’s cultural activities, they encourage and actively support its missions and activities.
They are visionary and avant-garde; they are faithful to tradition and proud of their origins; they are the work of young independent creators or bear age-old names; watch brands in search of excellence, in all their diversity and specificities, carry the values of the profession high.
Partner Brands
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A. Lange & Söhne
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Armin Strom
Master watchmaker Armin Strom set up his company in 1967 in Burgdorf, Switzerland. In 2006 he handed the reins to the Michel family before officially retiring in 2011. In 2008, Serge Michel and Claude Greisler took the brand's capacity to a higher level by establishing a full scale vertical Manufacture. Since then, Armin Strom has developed and produced ten exclusive calibres. They include a micro-rotor tourbillon and a resonance movement. With its unwavering focus on revealing the mechanical artistry of its timepieces, ARMIN STROM has distinguished itself...
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Audemars Piguet
The Manufacture was established in 1875 in Le Brassus, a village at the heart of La Vallée-de-Joux in the Swiss Jura, by Jules-Louis Audemars and Edward-Auguste Piguet, two enterprising young men who combined their talent to develop and produce watches featuring rare complications. Already in these early days, an Audemars-Piguet watch was prized by admirers of fine mechanical timepieces. Through determination, imagination and discipline, they inscribed their name on the wider history of watchmaking. The company they established has never left the hands of the...
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Baume & Mercier
At Baume & Mercier, excellence has always presided over the measurement of time. Since it was established in 1830, the company has been making prestigious timepieces for men and women who wish to capture the important moments in their lives. Now part of the Richemont Group, and with a history of successful associations to its name, Baume & Mercier has built up a rich heritage of watches which it revisits in contemporary versions.
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Bovet 1822
From Édouard Bovet to Pascal Raffy, the success the Fleurier Company has enjoyed with collectors can be attributed to watchmaking imbued with vision and tradition.While Bovet was one of the pioneers of international trade setting out to conquer and seduce a China which had, until that time, been closed off to the outside, Raffy succeeded in anticipating changes in the watchmaking industry, adopting a vertical approach to his business at precisely the right time. Two centuries apart, both men fuelled a shared passion for mechanical excellence which met with a...
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Breitling
From exploits to innovations, Breitling has been shaping the history of the chronograph for over 130 years. In 1884 in Saint-Imier, Léon Breitling set up the family business that would grow into a brand with its own indomitable spirit. The company lost no time in embracing the automobile era with a timer/tachymeter that measured speed (1905), followed by the first chronograph to incorporate a separate pusher at 3 o'clock (1915). The Swiss firm was also present from the early days of aviation, with the creation of the Huit Aviation Department in 1938. Its onboard...
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Bulgari
Today integrated into the LVMH Group as an international player in the luxury jewellery, watchmaking, perfume, accessories and hotel segments, Bulgari was established in Italy when Greek silversmith Sotirio Bulgari opened his first shop in Via Sistina in Rome in 1884.In the first few decades of the 20th century, the Bulgari brothers were to pursue their passion for semiprecious stones and jewellery. At the end of the Second World War, Bulgari adopted a style inspired by Greco-Roman classicism, the Italian Renaissance and the 19thcentury Roman school. Becoming...
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Carl F. Bucherer
Like the century into which he was born, an era of invention and new ideas, Carl Friedrich Bucherer broke with tradition. In 1888, the year the steepest cog railway in the world took its first passengers up the sharp slopes of Mount Pilatus overlooking Lucerne, the Swiss entrepreneur opened a shop selling watches and jewellery to the town's many tourists, laying the foundations for a business that would grow once/soon into a world-renowned brand. From decorative timepieces to precision mechanisms, success was on the cards. howing characteristic insight, Carl...
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Cartier
Cartier was founded in 1847 in Paris by the jeweller Louis-François Cartier, who in 1899 handed over to his three sons. They would establish the company internationally, not least by making the Cartier name a favourite among the crowned heads of Europe. Named "King of Jewellers, Jeweller of Kings", the brand was quick to turn its attention to watches. Many have become modern-day icons, such as the Santos (1904), one of the first wristwatches, the Tortue (1912) and the Tank (1919). They were followed by other noteworthy creations, including the Pasha,...
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Chanel
The Haute Couture house which Gabrielle CHANEL founded in the early 20th century presented its first collection of watches in 1987. The PREMIÈRE watch stayed true to CHANEL's identity with its octagonal shape, inspired by Place Vendôme and the N°5 perfume cabochon stopper.In 1993 CHANEL acquired Manufacture G&F Châtelain in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.The year 2000 was a milestone in CHANEL's watchmaking history with the launch of the J12 collection. Inspired by sailing, the J12 watch gave ceramic, a revolutionary material, its watchmaking credentials....
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Chopard
Louis-Ulysse Chopard established L.U.C in the Swiss village of Sonvillier in 1860. The company quickly became known for its beautifully crafted, ultra-thin and highly precise pocket watches. These were sold throughout Europe, including to Tsar Nicholas II. Chopard remained a family firm until 1963 when it was sold to Karl Scheufele III, the third generation of a German watchmaking dynasty who wished to become more prominent in watchmaking. This acquisition gave new impetus to Chopard which became an established name in both jewellery and watchmaking. Its...
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Ferdinand Berthoud
Ferdinand Berthoud was born in 1727 in Val-de-Travers, a region of Switzerland he left while still a young man to complete his training in Paris. His skill as a clockmaker quickly became apparent, and in 1753 he was awarded the title of Master Horologist by special decree of the Council of King Louis XV.Henceforth, Ferdinand Berthoud devoted himself to perfecting his art and to the development of precision clocks, at a time when European courts were in competition to master the calculation of longitude. Instructed by Louis XV, he travelled to London to study...
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Girard-Perregaux
Two centuries of watchmaking innovations The primary objective of any company is innovation. To innovate is to be creative, to have the vision and talent to blaze new trails. By adhering to its vocation as a manufactory, Girard-Perregaux is one of the few Swiss watch companies today to conceive and manufacture its own movements. This means it has to meet the constant challenge of achieving an ever higher level of quality and reliability. It is also the surest way of cultivating the exceptional "savoir-faire" that has made Girard-Perregaux one of the...
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Greubel Forsey
Innovate, invent and apply unprecedented concepts to new movements to achieve uncompromising quality in which rigor and technical perfection combine.Established in 2001 by Robert Greubel and Stephen Forsey, CompliTime SA laid the foundations for the launch, in 2004, of Greubel Forsey whose motivation and innovation have been rewarded with numerous prizes and distinctions. After the Richemont Group acquired a 20% stake, the company transferred in 2009 to ultra-modern facilities in La Chaux-de-Fonds and presented its watches at the SIHH. The company prizes...
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Grönefeld
Johan Grönefeld. The birth of a watchmaking. Gerhard Louis ("Johan") Grönefeld was born on 14th July 1896 in Oldenzaal. He began his career as a watchmaker in 1912. Taught by his uncle, Johan established his workshop and boutique in the shadows of Saint Plechelmus, a basilica and tower dating from 1240. He was both an exceptional watchmaker and a consummate businessman whose prowess with watchmaking tools, combined with creativity and inventiveness, earned him a glowing reputation in Oldenzaal and beyond. Sjef Grönefeld. Following in his father’s...
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H. Moser & Cie
The story of H. Moser & Cie. began in 1828 in St. Petersburg. Descended from a family of Swiss watchmakers, Heinrich Moser aspired to produce timepieces that would demonstrate quality craftsmanship and mechanisms of the highest standard. His business prospered and it took less than fifteen years for the much-respected Moser name to dominate the watch trade in Russia. Heinrich Moser died in 1874 and, with no heir willing to take the reins, the company was sold. The new management continued Moser's activity in Russia until forced to leave by the October...
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Hermès
Established in Paris in 1837, Hermès forged its reputation for excellence crafting saddles and harnesses for horses.In the early twentieth century, it extended its leather-making expertise to accessories such as belts, jackets, bags and, from the 1920s, watch straps. Working with the leading names of the day, the company fashioned "guardians of time", objects that capture the vision of beauty of which it is justifiably proud. In 1978, La Montre Hermès SA opened production facilities in Biel, Switzerland. An entire collection of classically elegant...
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IWC
Manufacture IWC, established in 1868 in Schaffhausen by Florentine Ariosto Jones, a young American, has countless exploits to its name in the field of grandes complications, and is also a pioneer in pilot's watches. After a long history as an independent firm, IWC joined the Richemont Group in 2000. These "engineers of watchmaking" were the first to work with titanium, while ceramic inspired watches destined for adventurers of every ilk.
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Jaeger-LeCoultre
Founded in 1833, Jaeger-LeCoultre has been acknowledged since the 19th century as the “Grande Maison” of the Vallée de Joux. With over 200 patents and more than 1,000 different calibres developed and crafted under one roof, several icon models such as the Reverso, the Duoplan or the Atmos, it is one of the most important and most innovative players in watchmaking history.
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Laurent Ferrier
Since the very beginning, the Laurent Ferrier brand has given admirers of mechanical watches a true alternative, with a design philosophy that is rooted in tradition, an innovative approach to movement construction, and meticulous hand-finishing.Every Laurent Ferrier watch is developed, finished, assembled and adjusted in Geneva. High amplitude and fine manual adjustment of the escapement ensure that these are true precision instruments. In deference to these requirements, annual production remains extremely small. Established in 2009, Laurent Ferrier is intent...
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Louis Moinet
Louis Moinet was born in Bourges in 1768. As a young man he studied classical subjects but his childhood interest in horology never left him. By 1800, watchmaking was taking up all his time. Now based in Paris, Louis Moinet spent long periods in Switzerland. He worked closely with the great Abraham-Louis Breguet, becoming both his close friend and advisor. During his lifetime, Louis Moinet made a number of exceptional clocks for the eminent personalities of his day, including Napoleon Bonaparte. He also produced clocks for maritime and astronomical use. In 1816...
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Louis Vuitton
Since 1854, Louis Vuitton has proposed unique creations of the finest quality. While adapting its style to embrace the latest innovations, it remains true to the spirit of Louis, its founder and the inventor of the "Art of Travel".
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MB&F
Founded in 2005, MB&F is the world’s first-ever horological concept laboratory, dedicated to designing and crafting small series of radical concept watches by bringing together talented horological professionals. With almost 20 calibres forming the base of its Horological Machines and Legacy Machines, MB&F continues to follow Founder and Creative Director Maximilian Büsser’s vision of creating three-dimensional kinetic art. After 15 years managing prestigious watch brands, Maximilian Büsser resigned from his Managing Director position at Harry Winston to...
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Montblanc
Established in 1906 in Germany, Montblanc rapidly rose to international prominence as a manufacturer of writing instruments. Its Meisterstück, launched in 1924, would become the world's most celebrated pen. Now part of the Richemont Group, the company took its first steps in watchmaking in 1997, gradually upgrading production with the Profile, TimeWalker and Star collections. In 2006, Montblanc brought Minerva into its fold, a movement manufacturer based in Villeret, in the Swiss Jura. A year later, Montblanc unveiled its Fine Watch collections, first Villeret...
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Panerai
Panerai’s history marks time itself. Its roots can be traced back to when it was the exclusive supplier of high-precision instruments to the Royal Italian Navy in the early nineteen hundreds. Riding on submersible torpedoes, the commandos were the protagonists of epic endeavours. On their wrists, they wore the precision and luminescence of Panerai Radiomir and Luminor models.
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Parmigiani Fleurier
The Parmigiani Fleurier brand - a watch making adventure that transcends the mundane - was created in Fleurier in 1996 and was guided by the passion of a man who remained faithful to the very essence of the watchmaker. Michel Parmigiani, master horologist, renowned restorer and talented creator of mechanical time-keepers dedicates his knowledge, which has been enriched by past and present events, to the benefit of the brand. In 1996, the Sandoz Family Foundation actively became involved in Parmigiani's development, thereby allowing the first watch collections to...
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Piaget
Manufacture Piaget, founded by Georges Edouard Piaget in 1874, in La Côte-aux-Fées at the heart of the Swiss Jura, cultivates the spirit of luxury in an atmosphere of creativity, attention to detail, and fully integrated expertise.Originally focused on the development and manufacturing of movements, Piaget began making watches under its own name in 1943, and in 1955 began to specialise in ultra-thin timepieces. Part of the Richemont Group, Piaget boasts twenty ultra-thin manufacture movements, and its timepieces regularly set new records as the world's thinnest...
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Rebellion Timepieces
Rebellion Timepieces watches are born on the race track. Based in Lonay, Switzerland, on the shores of Lake Geneva, Rebellion Timepieces has forged itself a place in the world of Swiss Haute Horlogerie. Passion, perfectionism and performance are the key values that led to the creation of the company in 2008 and continue to guide its development every day. Sharing the same DNA as its sister company, Rebellion Racing, an automobile team competing in endurance championships, all Rebellion watches are directly inspired by motor sport and each watch is created with...
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Ressence
The brand’s mission statement is captured in its name: Ressence, short for the Renaissance of the Essential. When conceiving his first watch in 2010, industrial designer and founder Benoît Mintiens considered what the mechanical watch might look like if it were a 21st century invention, based on today's cognitive technologies and sciences.It was in 2011, on the Zero Series watches, that Ressence first unveiled the patented invention on which its new expression of Time rests: ROCS, which stands for Ressence Orbital Convex System. Fully designed and developed...
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Roger Dubuis
Located in the heart of Geneva, our fully-integrated, independent Manufacture is what makes our technical and horological supremacy possible.Combining state-of-the-art technology with traditional craftsmanship and a daringly disruptive attitude, trust us when we say Roger Dubuis is the most exciting way to experience Hyper Horology. We have been at the forefront of the contemporary watchmaking scene since 1995. We're obsessed with designing the future, fearless in our determination to challenge the rules of traditional watchmaking. Creativity, radical know-how...
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Romain Gauthier
Romain Gauthier was born in 1975 in the Vallée de Joux, Switzerland, the cradle of fine Swiss watchmaking. It was here that Romain developed his passion for traditional Haute Horlogerie, his grasp of mechanics and engineering, and his eye for design. Having specialised in precision mechanics at technical college, Romain qualified as a constructor of precision machinery in 1997. A year later, he started his first job as machine programmer-operator at a horological components manufacturer that he helped turn into one of the best-performing facilities in Europe....
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Speake-Marin
Founded in 2002 by British master watchmaker Peter Speake-Marin, Speake-Marin creates “Belle Horlogerie”, “ Beautiful Timepieces” for those who want to wear a truly unique watch on their wrist. In 2012, Mrs Christelle Rosnoblet, an entrepreneur and watch enthusiast, became the CEO of Speake-Marin, a true turning point for the company. Being inspired by modern architecture and design, she started to modernize the Speake-Marin looks, reflected today in its contemporary design for movements and dials, combined with a distinctive timeless watch case. In 2015, the...
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TAG Heuer
Edouard Heuer, just 20 years old, opened a watchmaking workshop in Saint-Imier in the Swiss Jura under the name "Edouard Heuer, Fabrique d'Horlogerie" in 1860. The company underwent several name changes before becoming TAG Heuer in 1985. From the oscillating pinion in 1887 to the Mikrogirder in 2012, TAG Heuer has left its mark on the history of Swiss watchmaking. Over 145 years of innovation and expertise have made TAG Heuer one of the ultimate references in avant-garde sports watches.
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Ulysse Nardin
Technology is driving the world at unfathomable speed. It has also steered the course of the Ulysse Nardin watch manufacture for close to two centuries. Innovation after innovation, the company has been taking the profession into the future as it brings a high-tech approach to the age-old art of Fine Watchmaking. Established in 1846 by a 23-year-old Ulysse Nardin, the brand carries on both the name and the enterprising spirit of its founder. Having trained as a watchmaker and specialist in complications, Ulysse Nardin had his sights set on greatness. He chose his...
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Vacheron Constantin
The world's oldest watch manufacturer in continuous operation since 1755 and founder of the spirit of technical and precious Haute Horlogerie, Vacheron Constantin has been making horological history for over 260 years. From the beginning, Vacheron Constantin devotes its every effort to perpetuating the spirit of Fine Watchmaking. The tradition of excellence that defines the Manufacture originates in the quality of execution of each of its watches. Its expertise is reflected in timepieces whose exceptionally refined finish goes beyond the demands of the Poinçon de...
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Van Cleef & Arpels
Established in 1906 at 22 Place Vendôme, the story of Van Cleef & Arpels began when Alfred Van Cleef married Estelle Arpels in 1895. For more than a century, their two names have fashioned some of the most beautiful moments in the history of Fine Jewellery.The company lost no time in demonstrating its expertise in the creation of fabulous jewels. Driven by a passion for beauty and excellence, Van Cleef & Arpels, which joined the Richemont Group in 2000, perpetuates a uniquely recognisable style, rich in creativity, enchantment, culture and poetry....
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Zenith
Founded in 1865 by the visionary watchmaker Georges Favre-Jacot, the Manufacture houses some 80 watchmaking professions beneath its roof. Whether exponents of the more artistic crafts or of ultra-technical skills, all are engaged in the task undertaken by Georges Favre-Jacot 150 years ago: that of mastering each gesture to enable free-spirited creation of mechanical marvels combining noble watchmaking traditions with avant-garde innovations. Famed for its legendary 1969 El Primero calibre enabling short-time measurements accurate to the...